Sunday, October 29, 2017

November 16-18, 2017 is the 7th Rizal Library International Conference. This year, I am presenting a paper I co-wrote with Darrel Marco and MJ "Xi Zuq" Tumamac. Our paper, “Project LEARN: Revisiting History
and Creating New Narratives for Young Filipino Readers” has been accepted for
presentation under the sub-theme “Culture and History: Philippine Studies and
Libraries, Jose Rizal and Libraries, Evolution of Cultures in Literary Texts,
Reading Customs and Practices”.

Below is the abstract:

Project LEARN: Revisiting History and Creating New Narratives for Young Filipino Readers

This paper describes the creative process that went through in revising a thirty-year-old series of illustrated children’s books by the Nutrition Council of the Philippines Publishing Corporation (NCPPC), the Bulilit Books. It is a series of books written in English and in Filipino for children age 0 - 12. The series tackles issues and concepts on physical and mental development, home and family life, art and culture, including stories from Philippine folklore and mythology.

The revision project is named Project LEARN: Linguahe ni Juan Para sa Kabataan and has three phases: (1) research and development; (2) production stage; and (3) post production, publishing, distribution, and marketing of the books. The project is already in stage 3 having published all three titles in Filipino, Cebuano and Hiligaynon in July 2017. Plans for distribution and marketing strategies are on-going.

The goal of the Bulilit Books was to improve the health and well-being of the child, however, the language use, prevailing political thought and socio-cultural climate of the 70s were evident in the stories. To simply reprint the originals would prove out of context for the young readers of the 21st century. Significant revisions include changing some elements of the story to create a narrative that is relevant to the experience of the new target readers; adding a guide for teachers and parents that address pedagogical methods; updating the language register and orthography and translating into other languages to cater to a larger audience of parents, educators, and learning communities; and providing new illustrations and design to reflect new trends and methods in illustrating and producing books for children.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

And so we come to the last talking point. I will say two things. First, what I presented above are “ideals”. In the real world, these ideals are tested. Often times, we commit epic failures. Well, that is part of learning. Therefore, admit that you, myself included, as parents, we need all the help we can get from members of the community. There are agencies and institutions who can help us raise readers and lifelong learners. Who are the people in your neighborhood? That is for you to find out!

Second, let me end by recommending these books for your children. These are the winners of the 2016 National Children’s Book Awards as conferred by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) and the Philippine Board on Books for Young Readers.

Caveat: these titles are starting points. Allow children and young adults to read non-fiction and subject area books also. Talk to your child’s teacher and consult your school’s librarian or librarian in the public library of your community.

Your baby or toddler would be needing a lot of oral and aural experiences to acquire language skills. These language skills contribute to their visual skills once they see letters and words as symbols representing speech and ideas.

Reading for confirmation and fluency and Reading for learning the new - reading skills are used to gain knowledge, facts and information using varied texts and literature.

This is the stage where in readers have gained a level of independence in reading. But they still need support from peers and the adults they interact with on their choices of reading materials. This is a crucial stage where success and failure in reading happens. If the child gets the best reading instruction from parents and teachers in the pre-reading and initial reading stages, the quality teaching of reading skills MUST continue in the middle grades in in junior high school.

This is an ideal time to introduce different reading materials and media formats. This is also a good time to encourage readers to write and create their books and their media.

The reader has gained confidence, autonomy and independence in reading. Not only he or she makes sound reading choices, but also expresses a voice of informed opinions as a response to a reading experience. A deeper critical and creative thinking patterns occur in this stage of development. Readers are being prepared to fully join a community or a collective of thinkers and learners.

READ to LIVE!

Construction and Reconstruction - highest stage of reading development; Reading to learn and construct new knowledge.

The child is now an adult who reads and uses this skill to learn, relearn and unlearn.

What’s amazing at this stage is that, the adult reader is capable of making a difference in the lives of others. He or she is a functional member of the society. He or she can contribute to the community and can join in a conversation and a discourse of varying views, opinions and feelings with peers and even elders of the community.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Here is full transcript of my talking points on Reading and Parenting which I presented in the LibTalk Conference 2017.Parts 2 and 3 will be posted in the coming days, so watch out for it!

Reading and Parenting: 10 Talking Points

The home is the child’s first school.

In the story Lizard’s Song, Bear learned from Lizard that knowing one’s identity is tied to a knowledge of one’s home. When you know who you are and where you come from, you will always find your way in the world. Should you get lost or confused, go back home and there, you will find yourself. Once the self is found again, a new cycle of living, loving and learning begins.

It is in the home, as nurtured by the family, where a child builds and forms his or her self worth and self concept. These are two important things that parents can provide and bestow in their children. Psychologist Dr. Honey Carandang, in her book, The Filipino Family Surviving the World (Anvil Publishing, 2008), emphasized the impact that parents and significant adults have on children when influencing and modeling positive values. Positive self concept and self worth develop when children interact and engage with adults in their family circles. Their parents are their first teachers.

Where to begin then? It is essential to always respect the child’s personhood.(Carandang, 2008)

For my talk, I will focus on the child’s developmental contexts and the cognitive signs that are attributed to reading skills. We will use two lenses. Lens number one is focused on the child’s reading growth. Lens number two looks at books and reading materials appropriate for his or her needs.

Reading begins at home.

Dr. Quenna Lee Chua, co-author of the said book, conducted a study among scholars of the Ateneo De Manila University. It included their families and the variables that contribute to their academic success. This research was done back in 2005.

Remarkable findings are as follows:

The scholars are successful both in academics and in the application of life skills.

Their parents set goals and realistic disciplinary measures to meet them.

The parents are hands-on in helping them develop habits of learning.

Their parents believe in strong family bonds, self-reliance, and perseverance. Even before Angela Duckworth learned about grit, Dr. Quenna Lee Chua already discovered its relevance in lifelong learning.

The parents value learning and at home, it is encouraged among the children to apply and live out in their daily lives. Many of the parents who were interviewed prioritize two things from the family budget, food and books. Nourish the body and nurture the mind.

Create an environment that promotes and fosters a genuine love for books and reading.

As a parent, how do you create a home environment that encourages learning?

My top five tips are as follows:

Listen to your child. Hold your own truth lightly in your hands and focus on what your child is saying. You will understand him or her better when you put aside yourself, your own dreams for them and what you wish them to be. Your child is yours to take care and love, but they belong to the world.

Talk to them as often as possible. Keep the lines of communication open at all times.

Allow them to ask questions. Accommodate even the tough questions that you have no answer for. Discover these issues and questions your child have. Avoid put downs, labels and blocks to their thought processes. Learn from them too. One of the graces I discovered in being a parent is that, I grow and learn from my children.

Develop a family reading time, model the reading habit and manage the use of technological gadgets. I think this would require another session all together since technology is another variable we have to understand. But, the important thing is, your children see you reading a book, food labels, social media pages, mobile phone messages, billboards, TV ads and teleradio announcements etc.

If you can teach your child how to read different media formats, well and good. If not, leave it to the formal instruction of teachers. Cooperate and collaborate with them. Teachers are your allies.

Invest on books. And I mean the print book that children can touch, smell, turn the pages over and embrace. The print book has the physical landscape that enables the brain to remember more information. Memory plays an important role in learning.

A lot to do, yes! But this is what parenting is all about. It will be all worth it. Trust

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

And here is another screen capture/recording of my presentation on Reading as Socio-Cultural Equalizer. The app I used for this capture is Screencastify which is downloadable as a Chrome extension. A videocam can be embedded in the screen so the audience can see the speaker when they watch the presentation.

Because I couldn't make it to the 2017 LibTalk in Pampanga, I made a recorded presentation with audio for the participants. Thank you to the organizers represented by Roi Calilung for the flexible arrangement.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

We're at it again! I am reprising my role as web administrator of Picture Book Month this year. I am so happy to share this wonderful calendar to you all!

Each day, a Picture Book Month Champion is listed. Note that the theme for the day is included too. Check out the essay of each champion every day. We have a host of authors, illustrators, teachers and librarians as Champions this year. Having read their essays on the importance of picture books brought me to tears.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Here is part 2 of the Mr. Apolo Martinez Patron's blog interview where he gives tips for future exam takes and looks forward to learning more bout law, literature and life.

3. How did you prepare for LLE? Tips for LIS students to share?

Read.

It all comes down to familiarization with the concepts, principles or scenarios that will be the basis of the board exam. Just like what Hon. Lourdes T. David said, the exam tests our mettle, our preparedness or awareness on what should be done, or what should we know about Library and Information Science. This is crucial to our performance as Librarians & Information Specialist.

I actually spent so much time reading than answering reviewers or quizzers given by review center (centers), previous test papers accumulated during our 4 years of studying, and those gathered online. The curriculum or the specification of terms of all the things Library and Information Science students must understand are quite easy to study. These are all given. We have resources for that and the years of accumulated previous board exam reviewers or materials given by my seniors helped in my preparation (which is why it helps to know the "ate and kuya: for tips like what I’m doing now).

What is difficult was guessing the trend of questions that will be asked or what part of librarianship will the Board focus on. Board for Librarians examiners are pillars of our profession, they’ve done a great work to Philippine Librarianship and they know a great deal compared to us newly graduates and the re-takers facing the LLE (Librarians Licensure Exam). This is why I never limit the scope of materials I’m studying, reading or reviewing to those accumulated inside the class lectures. It does help yes, because it is the basic, and you have to be learned enough on the primer before advancing to more complex and confusing materials. I used various resources both local and foreign. You never know what might be asked so everything must not be taken for granted. I’m used to creating my own set of data bank of trivial facts. I write them all down.

Writing also reinforced the retention of what I’ve read as well as going over and over them just like my favorite novels read countless of times. Read till you drop. Drop Everything And Read (DEAR). Don’t even antagonize reading - but rest and reward yourself as well to ease the tension. Just like the usual tips, eat healthy, sleep well and prepare not only your mind, your body, your will and most important your spirit through prayers to slay the dragon which the board exam is.

4. Is being a male librarian in a female dominated profession an issue to you? Why or why not?

Time magazine had a recent issue about great women who contributed a lot to the world significantly to the US and one of the featured women there is the 14th Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. The first woman and Black American to hold the position, since from the start, it was given to men.

Admit it or not, being a man in this profession is a big deal. Our professors do share anecdotes of how their previous students, our "kuyas" who are easily hired or asked by schools or institution because it is quite “rare” to this profession of ours to find a man working as a librarian. Time said it is one of the 4 womanized professions, and there’s no denying about that. Starting back to Melville Kosouth Dewey and other proponents, men are typically mentioned or upheld. I will confess that I would sometimes fanboy whenever I meet or read somewhere that Mr. this or Sr. that is a librarian of this institution, or an officer of a certain librarian association or have done something great for the betterment of our profession.

Nevertheless, I never disregard the huge contribution women did and continuously doing for librarianship. It is quite fitting that Carla Hayden is now the Librarian of the US Library of Congress, the most coveted position and the most known library in the world. It only shows that in a patriarchal society, everyone matters. Women, people of color and even gay people. It is not about who or what you are anyway because it is about what you can do to help your patrons, to the profession, to the betterment of society.

5. From here on, where are you going next to?

This year is quite eventful for me. Which is why I might go “lowkey” for quite some time, but one thing I’m surely doing is BLOGGING! Which is why I’m dazzled at the how timely this interview is, I’ve been curious to know about the tricks of the trade when it comes to creating and sustaining a blog for quite a while now.

Continuing Professional Development or Education is something I’ll take seriously, and now that I’ll have means to get myself to study those I want,like Law or Literature. I’m thinking of taking Master of Library and Information science in UP. I also would like to take the April PhiLSAT next year for Law School. I will trust God’s will to put me in the most perfect or right path for me. All these things I could do or will do is all for His glory that is why I’m pretty confident the next part, the next chapter of my life will be better, more challenging and surely be exciting.

I might try reading more adult fictions this time because I’ve dabbled Children and Young-Adult since from the start. Try to gain some maturity, because I still see myself as “adulting* in this big scary world. Try other things I haven’t tried before due to lack of time or means for it like going to places or learning new hobbies aside from reading for hours or watching for hours.

Thanks once again Ms. Zarah Gagatiga! Hope to see you again on another literary event or just casual librarian to librarian tee-a-tee!

Friday, October 20, 2017

Our Filipino Librarian of the Month is Mr. Apolo Martinez Patron who topped the 2017 Board Exam for Librarians. In this interview, he shares his librarian origin story and this thoughts on the strengths and challenges that Philippine Librarianship faces today.

Before I start spilling the beans, I would first like to express my deepest thanks to be featured in the blog of Ms. Zarah Gagatiga. It is an honor (to be a guest in her blog). Way back 2015, when I first saw her in Ang Pinaka of GMA News TV, I wished to meet her in person because she is a “lodi” (idol) in librarianship and because she has great Philippine children literary works.

What is your librarianship story?

My roots in librarianship started back in my elementary days. I’m a reader back then and I usually spent my after class/before class/afternoons/summer and even Christmas vacations at San Nicolas Public Library at Binondo.

Our house was just few streets away from it, and it was just beside my elementary school. I read all sorts of books that caught my interest and laid my hands on them. Encyclopedia (Colliers, Britannica, and New World), old subscriptions of magazines such as Readers Digest or National Geographic, story books, text books (which most public libraries have numerous volumes of due to donations). As for fiction, there weren’t much bestselling or new releases but I enjoyed reading the titles they had.

My high school which was also near (the public library). I didn't go to the library as often as before, I made sure to drop by. I’ve seen how the old librarians were replaced by new ones whom I became close to like Ms. Raquel Gomez and Ms. Cristy Barera. My high school days was the weirdest and nerdiest phase of my life. Fiction became my world and Harry Potter became my best friend. I opted to take up Journalism or Literature for that reason but people I am close to advised me to take a more practical degree in college like Secondary Education. I almost took that course, but good thing the librarians of San Nicolas advised me to take Library and Information Science instead.

Quite timely because the Central Student Council of University of Santo Tomas went to our public school and offered us to take a scholarship exam. I passed that exam as well as the USTET (entrance test), so I decided to take Bachelor of Library Science as first choice program & Bachelor of Arts, Major in Literature as the second. Since I was told that not only is there a board exam for the profession but there a strong demand for librarians here and outside the country, I decided to study under the College of Education and take up Bachelor of Library and Information Science gratefully. Thanks to University of Santo Tomas (for this career guidance). I also worked as a Student Assistant at UST Miguel de Benavides Library which was part of the scholarship. This was a win-win situation for me. Basically that’s how and why a patron such I became a librarian.

2. What do you think is Philippine Librarianship's greatest asset and most needed improvement?

We take pride in our profession. Offering the Library and Information Science at Bachelor degree level is quite a trademark of our country. Western countries and even ASEAN nations offer it as Master’s degree. Also the board exam shows that even if it is an underrated profession, there’s a big need for us in our country. Learning it during college and continuing education either inside or outside the country is what instilled in the minds of those taking this profession. Even though Philippine librarianship is quite young compared to other profession, there is already great progress and development in the field. It is an asset that we are a legally mandated profession because it shows how crucial librarians are in an institution, most especially in the academe and the school setting.

Most needed improvement I do think for Philippine Librarianship is in regards with Public Librarianship. Up until now, it is not a priority as what UP-SLIS Dean Kathleen Lourdes Obille said.

I myself experienced that because the San Nicolas Public Library, up until now doesn’t even have computers with internet connection. This could help a lot of the Binondo patrons such as students who make up the majority of users. Also Special Libraries here in our country are few. There are numerous good institutions with knowledge management office, or information centers or libraries but I think aside from the Public Sector, Special Librarianship is also one unappreciated sector of our Profession.

Research and standardize materials for LIS students learning about the profession are limited and titles of resources are few. We do have a vast number of journals but I think it is more important to have standardized and recommended books or resources that are aligned to Philippine librarianship. Our resources are foreign based which is why some principles or ideas are too idealistic & unrealistic or not that feasible.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

We are pushing through mid-term now and everyone is as busy as a bee. The first set of advisory letters have all been sent out two weeks ago and we had our Parent Teacher Conference last Saturday. We are in full swing. Academic Year 2017-2018, the honeymoon is over.

The excitement and positive energy that came at the beginning of the year is slowly waning for some. There are peaks and valleys in academic progress of students and everyone is tired, or stressed, or confused. Let's get real and not deny ourselves this very human reaction to the rigors of teaching and learning in an IB School.

And I take it that these dips in the process of learning happens to all school or learning community.

What to do?

Call on grit and perseverance.

It is a matter of mindset.

One that recognizes failures and mistakes as opportunities for growth.

And then, rise up.

However, some are a bit slower than the rest. That is where team work and compassion come in. No one should be left behind in teaching and learning for we are all accountable for each other. And the library is pitching in.

Our library's bulletin board at the start of the year took on the theme of a growth mindset. See the photo above.

Inspired by the researches and works of Carol Dweck (Growth Mindset) and Angela Duckworth (Grit), a growth mindset is a proactive way to rise above the difficulties of life in general and face the challenges of every day. Remember the old saying, it's all in the mind, or what you conceive in the mind you achieve in real life? That is putting it simply but the core of a growth mindset is strength of character that is built overtime. A growth mindset is found in the formative teaching and learning experiences designed by teachers for the students. It is also about giving students feedback. Coaching. Mentoring. Allowing them to make mistakes and giving them ample time to reflect.

As we cross the threshold of the dip, we will soon replace the bulletin board's quotes with new ones that are more applicable for the needs of the community. And yes, we will be putting out and displaying books to accompany the theme. There goes your bibliotherapy services!

Monday, October 16, 2017

I have been reflecting on the visits of our grade 10 students to the library.

Nearly half of them have been to the library in the past three weeks. They borrowed books for their Personal Project (PP) as encouraged, and in some cases, required by their PP Supervisors. This is happy news for me and my staff, of course, since we see our books leaving the library and into the hands of readers. Besides, this is the first time this has happened - to have half the cohort of grade 10s use the library! Seriously.

This experience is beyond statistics and book circulation matters.

Having students borrow from the library is an opportunity for me to teach them skills in locating resources and sourcing information with in sources. What we talked about during the library orientation comes into play. This is a different learning experience from the library sessions I conduct in the subject areas. I somehow find this more authentic as students get down to business, using the OPAC, applying search terms derived from their statements of inquiry, locating books through the call no, reading the introduction, scanning the table of contents and the index. Doesn't sound like big thinking skills but fundamental to research skills development.

It is also a joy to see a few students make their own decisions having found several titles -which is better, more appropriate, nearer to the topic or statement of inquiry. And so far, we have not turned away any of the grade 10s because we have books and resources to provide and recommend!

I am hoping these skills can further build up and be strengthened across the content areas. Library use and the application of basic and fundamental research skills are ways to establish connections in the varied disciplines. Furthermore, I think that the skills applied in the processing of printed content translate better when used in the digital environment.

What made these visits possible by our high school students are two things: support from the Academic Leadership Team who designed a learning environment allowing them to go to the library, and PP supervisors who know how to do research the brick and mortar style. A school may have a well stocked library, tech gadgets here and there (this always impress us!), innovative programs and competent library staff, but if structures are not set up for classroom-library connection, the library will simply remain a warehouse. If teachers and the faculty themselves do not value collaborative teaching and learning, the librarian and library staff will remain an unused human resource.

It is like cooking bibingka or baking bread using a double heated oven. You want a well cooked, delicious bread or bibiningka? There needs to be heat on top of the batter and below it.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

The blog's Teacher Techie of the month is none other than, Winona "Teacher Winnie" Yapit-Diola.

Teacher Winnie joined De La Salle Zobel School in 1994 and handled diverse Science classes in Junior Prep, Grades 1 to 6 levels. She was recognized as DLSZ’s Outstanding Instructional Leader in 2014. Ms Winnie is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Class of 2015, a Distinguished Lasallian Leader Awardee, Certified Apple Teacher, Apple Accredited Professional Learning (PL) Consultant and Trainer, Certified Google Educator Level 1 and was named one of the winners of the 2016 Search for Outstanding Teachers by the Metrobank Foundation.

If I were not a teacher, I would be either a factory worker or a nurse

How did you bridge or overcome the challenges of learning new technology for classroom instruction?

In the implementation of Next Generation Blended Learning Program in De La Salle Zobel School, I was among the senior teachers who accepted the challenge to become innovators of the program and to teach with iPad as a tool for learning. I was quite hesitant at first but as the saying goes “If you can’t beat them, join them”. I joined the bandwagon of teachers who are willing to give it a try and implement the use of mobile devices inside the classroom. I attended tedious training on how to use a mobile device (iPad), deepened my understanding of the blended learning pedagogy, and prepared modules that combine both face to face activities and electronic/online learning. And together, we prepared rules on the proper use of mobile devices in class and explored mobile applications that can be useful to my students. For me, it is a two-way learning process as I guide my students learn the content, creativity, cooperation, and collaboration in my subject area. I also learn from them different apps, tricks and tips on the use of mobile devices. Then, I started to see myself as a facilitator of learning who allows students to learn in unconventional ways as they accomplish tasks that are previously inconceivable.

Some teachers fall for the idea of putting technology inside the classroom and making them available for use without having a clear pedagogy and specific ideas on how to incorporate them to improve student learning. So they end up facing challenges/ difficulties on when to use or how to manage the use of technology in class. Teachers should put in mind the importance of providing activities that are driven by pedagogy and not by the mere presence of technology.

Teacher Winnie with family meeting DepEd Secretary Briones and President Duterte after being awarded the as Metrobank's Most Outstanding Teacher of 2016.

What is the recipe for a successful integration of technology in education/instruction?

The recipe for a successful integration of technology in education lies on the ability of the teachers to innovate and to foster creativity. A teacher who understands the pedagogy that responds to the learning styles of students and learning modalities that would help students simulate real world environment as they use different available technology.

As facilitators of learning, teachers should ask themselves this question- “How do I use technology to develop the skills needed by 21st century learners so they become successful adults?” And if the needed skills of digital learners are addressed and student learning is improved with the use of technology, then we can say that the technology integration is successful.

What would help teachers’ transition from traditional tech use to digital tech use?

Transforming from traditional use of technology to digital technology use does not happen overnight. The greatest challenge to us, teachers, is to learn to use technology to teach effectively and to inspire student learning and creativity- to get out of the comfort zone to see the unknown of having a transformative blend of instruction while using available technologies.

Teachers must be willing to unlearn, learn, and relearn different pedagogy, skills needed by digital learners, teaching modalities, and effective F2F teaching strategies for effective classroom instruction. They should not focus on how to use technology in the classroom. Rather, they need to put more emphasis in providing student-centered activities to amplify students’ potential to become lifelong learners who are reflective, competent, creative, critical thinkers and problem- solvers.

Teachers should combine innovative strategies and various technology tools to promote the 4Cs of 21st Century Learning- Collaboration to produce outputs whether offline or online, Communication with peers and/or experts through diverse environment, Critical thinking to solve problems, and Creativity in building new knowledge as they connect learning to real world situations and involves practical work. When teachers and students focus more on achieving their goals and skills to master, the use of technology comes in handy.